Lightning had spent four days at the Jenkins residence while Dia recovered. The french bulldog was a great support dog and friend. Thus when Dia was finally strong enough to go outside, the four legged brawler ran around her in merriment. He's been more happy than the time he dug up that huge bone. That Leonidas may or may not have gotten him. Afterwards the two parted ways. Lightning fully intended to visit the diamond brawler occasionally to check up on her.

Dia was relieved that she had recovered. As much as she enjoyed her uncle love, she missed being able to go outside. The others were worried about her. Though she quickly reassured them that she would be fine with a few days of rest.

SEE DAN?! A TEXT IS JUST ENOUGH TO RELIEVE WORRY! A TEXT IS ENOUGH!!

Dia was glad that she was able to go outside today of all days. Especially since it was her meeting day with Magnus aka her teacher. He was also her friend true friend who had stayed by her side through the whole framing incident. The one whotrained her to be a better brawler and partner to Leonidas and herself. The two kept in contact daily in a secret chat. Mostly due to the fact that Magnus wanted to keep their friendship a secret for now. Thinking the brawlers may view it as Magnus trying to pull Dia to the dark side. Though in Dia's eyes, Magnus was a brotherly figure that seemed to support her through thick and thin. He seemed to care for her more than Marduk at the moment.

Marduk. The mere thought of his name made Dia feel uneasy still. How could do what he did?! The events replayed in her mind still trouble her to this day. Worse part! What was the worse part is that he didn't seem to be the least bit sorry about it either!

HOW?! JUST HOW COULD HE?! AFTER KNOWING WHAT HIS LITTLE SISTER WENT THROUGH WITH "ADVENTURA", HOW DARE HE DO THE SAME TO-

Dia mind froze in realization just as she was a block away from the meeting spot. She had never truly asked Leonidas about what Marduk made him go through. He had been Marduk test subject for TWO straight years without anyone's knowledge. Leonidas had been experimented and altered against his will. He might act tough as he tries to hide his fear through anger, yet it was clear to see that he was suffering as Dia did with "Adventura".

Just how does anyone go through that? Dia at least had family to aid her through the troubles. Leonidas did not. Sure he was surrounded by Diamond Faction Bakugan, but they did nothing to really help him. They were most likely torturing him under Marduk orders. Even trying to pull him back into that scorching prison that Dia freed him from.

There were moments that Dia saw that he still held trauma from that day.

A faint recollection came to Dia. She recalled pasting a construction site after one school day, it was the early days of their partnership. Back when Leo still addressed her as "Girl" and demanded twenty to thirty brawls daily. The two had been in a deep conversation that day. Dia couldn't remember what it was about. Probably something about her struggling with throwing not one but THREE diamond faction bakucores, missing all three times. When a whirling sound had made her dragon partner freeze in mid air.

If that drill was alive and taunted him. Making the fearless dragon unable to move. As if he was in a nerve shocking pain which made his limbs lose all desire to obey him. Then before Dia had a chance to speak, Leo had let out a dormant rage within himself. Going to his true size and destroying all the eauipment in his path.Setting half the site on fire and destroy thousands of dollars in equipment. Grown men running away from the scene like frighten little school girls who seen a tiny spider. Dia had struggled to call back Leonidas before he could do any further damage.

She had thought that the drill was bothering him to the point where he wanted to shut it up LITERALLY. Now with recent events..., there was another reason why he acted that way.

How could Dia have not connected the dots before? SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! The angry and rude tough guy attitude. How he seemed more violent with a short temper. The way he refused to trust others. All were sighs that Leonidas had been through some kind of trauma as Dia had.

Prehaps it was time to finally peel the curtain that conceals the Diamond Demonic Dragon past. If Dia shared hers then it was right to learn his.

Plus they were an hour early.  How Dis actually came early made Leonidas think he was dreaming still. Never before had he seen Dia be early for anything. DIA TAKES FOREVER GETTING READY AND YET SHE IS EARLY THIS ONE DAY?! A miracle was his only answer to this.

Given them time to have a chat. One that Dia wished to do now more than anything.

"Leo?" Dia turned to her bakugan partner who was currently in his human disguise.

"Yes?" He did not look her way. Seemingly distracted by a few of the shops.

"What did my brother do to you in those two years?" Leonidas froze in his track upon hearing Dia question.

No...NO! This was far too soon. Dia had just recovered! She didn't need to hear this! HE WANTED TO FORGET THIS NIGHTMARE!

"I don't feel like going down memory lane" He refuse to meet her eyes. Not wanting his partner to see them in fear.

"Leo.....please. Just like you wanna shoulder my pain, I wanna do the same for you. I WANT to know everything he made you go through" Dia placed her hand on his shoulder. A sign that she was ready to listen.

"I guess it's only fair" Leonidas had made Dia confess her past, only fair karma if he did the same.

The two went to a nearby bench where Leonidas went to his true small form. He seemed unsure how to start telling her all this. After all, Marduk had damaged both of them in a way. Did Leo really have to put another steel nail in his coffin? Well at least Dia would now the true.

"I don't really remember my days on Vestoria. The home of all Bakugan where the factions live in harmony and conflicts are settled in brawls.  The first thing I recall was the darkness. Drifting in a endless void where my voice would be silence. No roars or screams audible in that empty abyss. For the first few moments, I though I had died...." Leonidas let out a chuckle. However his eyes looked full of a mixture of fear and sorrow.

"Leo...." Dia reach out and comforted him.

"Then I saw a light and heard voices. Thinking that I was going to where all Bakugan go. I was mistaken when I saw a human smiling at me" Leonidas could remember how pleased Marduk seemed when he woke up.

"My brother?" Dia knew that Marduk was the ring master in all this. No doubt since he was a genius scientist.

"Yes..." Leonidas closed his eyes tightly for a moment. Taking in a few shaky breathes before he continued.

Seems like they were getting closer to trauma part for the diamond dragon bakugan.

"He explained that he had revived me by using the powers of Bakugan and his own methods. I was grateful at first, then my expressions towards him changed when he said he was giving me a special "Purpose". To be the ultimate Diamond Bakugan to keep the faction that was lost safe. I refused and was met with the experiments and alterations" Leo couldn't help but growl as his mind recalled the pain.

No matter how many times he had demanded to be released. No matter how many times he fought to preserve his nature and self. No matter how much he roared out of pain. He got no sympathy or mercy from the humans who kept him chained and locked away like thier own personal pet.

"To give me the ability to access powers from all the factions, Marduk....gave me a procedure. I was chained up, thrashing in my true form. Having to be restrained by two bakugan who I had not seen before. One highly annoying like Dan at times when he urges me to cook. The other silent and just as powerful as I am now" Leonidas would have a bone to pick with those two later.

HE MAKE THEM PAY FOR WHAT HE WENT THROUGH! GIVE THEM TEN FOLD FOR EACH INJURY THAT HE HAD SUFFERED THAN TRIPLE IT!!!

"P-procedure? Leo....what did he do?" Dia could feel a wave of fear and uneasy wash over. As if she knew that the answer would horrorify her.

"He drilled in me a portion of elemental crystals. Forcing my body to adapt them into my system. Each day a larger portion of crystal was drilled into me. Painful absorbed till it was now apart of my body. The procedure lasted for a year and ten months" Dia could feel her heard drop when Leonidas told her that.

H-how?....HOW COULD ANYONE DO THIS TO SOMEONE?! WHY?! WHY HAD LEONIDAS HAD TO SUFFER THIS?!

"Leo....I am so sorry" That was all Dia could manage without crying. Trying with all her strength to be strong for her partner right now.

No wonder he did not trust others easily. Who honestly could after experiencing such an ordeal?! Leonidas would get twice the love and care he got now!

He can even max out her allowance for two months on anything he wanted!

"So the drill back then at the site... It brought back those bad memories huh?" Dia asked. Seeing his reaction only seemed to confirm this.

"Why humans created such torture devices is beyond me. Using them to bring others pain? Here the others say that " LEO IS THE DESTRUCTIVE ONE". HOW ABOUT THEY GET TAKEN INTO A LAB WHERE THEY ARE TREATED LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN A WEAPON! NEVER BEING ABLE TO ESCAPE AND GIVEN DANAGE DAILY, ALL JUST TO SEE HOW MUCH ENDURANCE THEY CAN TAKE! HAVING CRYSTAILS AND LIQUIDS FORCED INTO YOUR BODIES! NOT KNOWING IF YOU'LL SURVIVE FROM THEM! MENTALLY HOPING EVERY MINUTE THAT ONE DAY YOU'LL BE FREE! TO NOT BE IN FEAR THAT THEY ARE TAKING AWAY YOUR EMOTIONS TO FEEL, ALL JUST TO ENSURE THAT THEOR WEAPON DOES NO FALTER THEIR DUTIES!" Leonidas huffed out his anger. Only realizing that he had unintentionally aimed it at Dia.

Dia expression was shock and seemed unreadable to the diamond dragon. Oh no.... NO! Why had he outbursted at her?! She was trying to help him! SHE SAVED HIM FROM THAT PLACE! Why had he lashed out?!

"Dia, I am so sorr-" His apologies were interupted by a kiss to the forehead and a hug.

"I'm sorry...I should've saved you sooner....If I had known...." Dia could not hold back the tears anymore. Both of frustration and sorrow.

"Dia....You saved me before it was too late. Because of you, my heart can still feel such emotions to begin with. Many had ignored my pleads for help. All except you. The only one to listen and reach out. A outside force must have given you the fate to find me that day" Leo hugged back, tears that had been seal away had finally flowed out.

"Seems like we are a perfect match in a sense. We both know this pain. Having to lean on each other for support" Dia smiled as she dried her tears. "That and we are "Diamond Justice"!"

Leonidas thought again to how he and  his human started out. It was a long path to were they were to this present moment. How they carried for one another now, unlike how he was treating her in the beginning. At first he only saw her as a means to get brawls. Now he considered her a true treasure and an inreplacable friend.

"Yeah, "Diamond Justice"!" That was the start of their genuine partnership after all.

Dia and Leo made it to the meeting spot afterwards. Now Dia had a new goal in her mind. That no matter what, LEONIDAS WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO ANY LAB EVER AGAIN! SHE REFUSED TO ALLOW HIM TO SUFFER LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN! She also confront Marduk and make sure he never came close to Leonidas again!

Though she may consider Benton offer to see what exactly was so special about her. It could be a reason she found Leo in the first place.

For now, time to chat with her sensei! Hopefully he wouldn't be mad that they were twenty minutes late. He always made the two do extra training if they were.

Please spare them, Sensei Magnus! Please!!!